The University of Pretoria (UP) Department of Human Nutrition and Department of Nursing, the Unit for Community Engagement, and the International Baby Food Action Network Africa (IBFAN), have for the first time collaborated in offering the 20 hours three-day Breastfeeding Training Course from 19 to 26 February 2024.

The main aim of this movement is to address breastfeeding matters/issues and promote the importance of breastfeeding. We do this by engaging with relevant stakeholders within communities, empowering healthcare students and community members with relevant information and tools in order for them to be confident in educating communities in the effort to promote, protect and support breastfeeding.

The technical approach of the students’ knowledge empowerment began with advocating and collaborating with different stakeholders, and they are now at the stage of knowledge and skills building (formal training) with practical experiences. This will be followed by mentoring and coaching during the students’ community block (with quality improvement projects - from identified practical problems related to breastfeeding); and finally, the monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning.

Dr Heather Legodi, Head of the Department of Human Nutrition, offered a welcome and introduction to the course; she was followed by the Viva Foundation choir, who sang two beautiful songs. Students started with an introspection to determine their own attitudes toward breastfeeding. This was followed by Mr Sithembiso Mnisi, from the International Baby Food Action Network, setting the scene of breastfeeding in South Africa and globally. He went on to talk about policies and how these ties into child survival. The Viva Foundation choir closed the first session; they set the room alight, toes tapping and hips swaying with their music, and the whole hall was up dancing.

The second session, by Natascha Olivier from the Department of Human Nutrition, covered the miracle of breastmilk, and the various components and bioactive factors that make it different and unique from artificial milk and animal milk. The session continued with an overview of breast anatomy using broccoli as a hands-on teaching tool, and dove deeper into the physiology of lactation and the importance of the concept of supply and demand. Megan Wrigglesworth, from the Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, gave insight into the importance of infant oral and facial anatomy in relation to breastfeeding, with videos to illustrate how everything works together.

After the lunch break, Dr Maurine Musie and Mrs Molatelo Kgodane from the Department of Nursing Sciences shared more on the topic of early initiation of breastfeeding, including antenatal support, supporting the first breastfeeding, and key principles for breastfeeding support. Mrs Marion Beeforth from the UP Department of Human Nutrition spoke on expected feeding behaviour and the assessment of breastfeeding. Mrs Tobie Muller from La Leche League and Dr Debby Kupolati from Wellbeing Africa introduced the students to various community support organisations, and how these can be accessed.